Former KC fire department captain faces more charges for selling guns to felons

A former Kansas City Fire Department captain who was charged earlier this month with illegally selling guns used in crimes was indicted on additional charges Wednesday by a Kansas City federal grand jury.

James Samuels, 53, was charged in a 14-count indictment that replaces a criminal complaint filed against Samuels on Oct. 1. He has been in federal custody since he was arrested Oct. 4 and remains jailed without bond. He resigned from the Kansas City Fire Department on Oct. 8.

Samuels originally was charged with selling a firearm and ammunition to a prohibited person and knowingly transferring a firearm for use in a violent crime. Wednesday’s indictment contains five additional counts of selling a firearm and ammunition to a prohibited person and two additional counts of knowingly transferring a gun for use in a violent crime.

He was also charged with participating in a conspiracy to make false statements during the gun purchases, dealing firearms without a license, possessing a stolen firearm, and two counts of possessing an unregistered firearm.

Authorities said Samuels was arrested after an undercover operation in which he sold a .38-caliber revolver to a confidential informant whom he knew to be a felon. The indictment lists several purchases by confidential informants Samuels knew to be felons, who could not legally possess guns and who told him they planned to use the weapons to commit homicides.

The indictment alleges that Samuels had been involved in illegally dealing numerous firearms since 2014.

Samuels was employed by the city of Kansas City for 20 years and most recently held the position of fire captain, with an annual salary of $80,220.